Rail anchor



H. G. WARR RAIL ANCHOR April 28, 1931.

Filed June 15. 1929 Patented Apr. 28, 1931 {UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HAROLD G. WAItR, OF PARK RIDGE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE P 80 M COMPANY, i OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS i V RAIL ANCHOR Application filed: June 13, 1929. serial No. 370,607.

: movements of the rail.

p A principal object of the invention is to provide 1 an improved rail anchor of the above general character which will be sufficiently resilient to permit it to be readily applied and removed from the rail when desired, and which will grip the rail by both resilient and positive gripping forces to resist longitudinal movement of the rail when the anchor is in its normally applied position.

Another object is to provide a rail anchor having; a depending tie abutment which is relatively resilient transversely of the rail so as to permit the anchor to be readily sprung over the opposite edges of the rail base, but which is relatively rigid longitudinally of the rail so as to provide a positivefand non-yielding grip on the rail base whenthe abutment is pressed against an adjacent cross-tie. i

A further object isto provide a one-piece anchor adapted to exert, either singly or in combination with other gripping forces, a grip on the top and bottom surfaces of one base flange of the rail, which grip normally results from pressure of the tie abutment against the'adjacent cross tie, tending to tilt the anchor about a horizontal axis extending transversely of the rail, and to provide, in

' this connection, a relatively long bottom bearing which is so formed with relation to the tie aboutment, as to provide a brace for resistingexcessive tilting of the anchor and which at the same time will provide a convenient face for receiving the hammer blows or other application of force, to spring the anchor transversely of the rail to its applied position.

Further objects will appear, from the detailed description of the various features of construction shown in the embodiments illustrated, together with the apparent or the expressed purposes and advantages of thevarious constructions described.

'In the. drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of the base portion of a railroad rail and a fragmentary portion of a cross-tie showing a rail anchor device, constructed in accordance with my invention, applied in its normal operative position on the base portion of the rail.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the construction shown in Fig. l and illustrating in dotted lines one position assumed by the anchor during its applying movement. 7 r

Fig. 8 is an end view of the anchor illustrating the manner in which the under rail bearing and tie abutment serve as a brace during the presence of a tilting force on the anchor.

, Referring to the drawing wherein I have illustrated one preferred embodiment of my invention, 10 designates the railroad rail and 11 one of the cross-ties on which the rail is supported. The embodiment illus-' trated'in the drawing is preferably inthe form of a one-piece device and consists of a body portion 12 formed at one end with means, preferably a jaw 13, for engagement with one flange of the base portion of the rail. The portion 13 preferably. bears against the top inclined surface of the base flange engaged and is connected with a vertically disposed portion 14 of a depending loop 15. The upper portion of the vertical member 1 1 bears against a vertical edge portion of the base flange. The loop 15 extends downwardly a substantial distance below the bottom surface of the rail base so as to provide a relatively large tie abutment. Connected with the vertically extending portion 1 1 is a horizontal portion 16 of the loop, the latter of which connects with an upstanding. angularly disposed portion 17. The portion 17 preferably divergesfrom the vertical face of the. cross-tie 11 backwardly from the tie and also converges upwardly toward the vertically disposed portion 14: of the loop. It will be seen, therefore, that the portion'17 extends upwardly and backwardly from the adjacent tie and extends also at an angle toward the outer edge of the adjacent flange of the rail base (shown best in Figs. 2 and 3). The loop portion is preferably relatively narrow transversely of the rail so as not to be flexed or distorted by bein pressed downwardly into the ballast of t e road-bed, but which at the same time will be relatively resilient transversely of the rail. The upper end of the portion 17 is connected to the body 12 bymeans of a bearing portion 18 which extends longitudinally of the rail. The jaw 13, members 14 and 153 are preferably disposed in the same vertical plane. The bearing portion 18 extending backwardly from the ties provides a relatively long bearing surface 18a, which resists excessive tilting of the jaw end of the anchor when the tie abutting loop is pressed against the tie. The end of the body 12 o posite the jaw 13 is provided with a jaw 15 which engages the opposite ed e of the rail base. Preferably the jaw 19 1s inturned so as to extend over the upper edge of the base flange and thereby insures against an distortion of the anchor, such, for exanip e, as may result from the tilting action, from disengaging the locking end 19 from the rail.

In the drawing I have shown my preferred embodiment formed from a metal bar round in crosssection. \Vhile the relatively large bearing surface, provided by the angular portion 18, makes it practicable to form an anchor of this character from round stock, and at the same time avoids excessive tilting action, it should be understood that I do not wish to limit this invention to the use of the round stock.

In ap lying the anchor to a rail, the jaw and 13 1s first hooked over one base flange of the rail in a manner indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. Pressure is then applied to the strikin face 20 to spring the loop transversely o the rail. and cause the jaw 19 to engage over the opposite edge of the rail base.

During the initial applying moven'ient, the lower corner 21 of the rail base enters in the space 22 between the members 11 and 17 of the spring loop. The transverse flexing of the member 17 of the loop, in addition to exerting a transverse flexing of the loop, produces also a vertical spring grip between the lower ortion of jaw 13 and the bearing 18a. The atter grip is effected by the tendenc which the transverse flexing has to move the portion 17 of the loop to the perpendicular. Hence when the anchor is applied, there is a grip exerted. on opposite edges of the rail, resulting from the tendency which the loop has to return to the position from which it was sprung. There is also a vertical grip between the lower surface of the jaw 13 and the bottom bearing surface 18a, resulting from the transverse movement of the portion 17 toward the center of the rail, as viewed in Fig. 2. hen the loo portion 14 is pressed against the vertica face of the cross-tie 11 by longitudinal movement of the rail, said pressure tends to tilt the jaw end of the anchor about its horizontal axis and in so doing increases the grip of the jaw end on the rail by exerting a pinching grip between the surfaces 18a and the surface 13a. It will also be seen in this connection that the pressure of the loop 14 against the cross tie exerts a pressure tending to move the angular 1- tion 17 of the loop toward the vertical, hat is to say, toward a vertical plane extending transversely of the rail. This pressure also exerts, in addition to the pinching grip, a spring grip vertically of the rail in much the same manner that the transverse flexing of the portion 17 produces durin the application of the anchor to the rai lVhile I have described my invention in connection with one specific embodiment, it will be obvious that various modifications in structure may be provided without departing from the spirit of the invention. It will be understood, therefore, that I contemplate all such modifications in structure and equivalents coming within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

. 1. A rail anchor comprising a body provided with means for clamping the opposite flanges of a rail and provided intermediate said clamping means with an open loo having substantially vertically dispose arms spaced from each other transversely of the rail to provide a recess for receiving the lower corner of the rail base during the initial applying movement of the anchor and adapted to be flexed both transversely and vertically of the rail during the applying movement of the anchor whereby the reflex of the loop exerts a spring grip on the rail.

2. A rail anchor comprising a body provided with a jaw at one end which extends over and bears against the top of one base flange, means at the other end for engagement with the other flange of said base a depending tie abutment adapted to ex transversely of the rail and provided with l bracing arm extending upwardly and backwardly relative to the tie and bearin against the bottom of the rail at a pain beneath said jaw.

3. A rail anchor comprising a body provided with a jaw at one end which extends over and bears against the top of one base flange, means at the other end for engagement with the other flange of said base, a tie abutment comprising a depending open loop the arms of which are spaced a part transversely of the rail adapted to flex transversely of the rail one of said arms providing a brace beneath the rail which extends upwardly and backwardly relative to the tie against which said abutment bears.

4. A rail anchor comprising a bod portion formed at one end with a jaw or engagement with the top surface of one base flange, and a tie abutment comprising :1.

depending loop, one arm of which extends upwardly and backwardly relative to the cross tie against which said abutment bears, a forwardly extending portion at the upper end of said 'backwardly extending arm which bears against the bottom of the rail base, and means for gripping the other base flange.

5. A rail anchor comprising a body portion formed at one end with a jaw for engagement with the top surface of one base flange and a tie abutment comprising a depending loop, one arm of which is substan tially perpendicular to the bottom surface of the rail and the other arm of which extends upwardly and backwardly relative to the cross tie against which said abutment bears, and a forwardly extending portion at the upper end of said backwardly extending arm which bears against the bottom of the rail base, and means for gripping the other flange of said rail base.

6. A rail anchor comprising a body portion formed at one end with a jaw for engagement with the top surface of one base flange and a tie abutment comprising a depending loop, one arm of which extends upwardly and backwardly relative to the cross tie against which said abutment bears, a forwardly extending portion at the upper end of said backwardly extending arm which bears against the bottom of the rail base at a point below said jaw, and means for gripping the flange at the other side of said base.

7. A rail anchor comprising a body portion formed at one end with a jaw for engagement with the top surface of one base flange of a rail and a tie abutment comprising a depending loop, one arm of which extends substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface of the rail and the other arm of which extends upwardly and backwardly relative to the cross tie against which said abutment bears and also inclines outwardly toward the adjacent edge of the rail base, a.

forwardly extending portion at the upper end of said backwardly extending arm which bears against the bottom of the rail base at a point below said jaw, whereby flexing of said last mentioned arm transversely of the rail exerts a gripping force through said jaw and said forwardly extending bearing on the top and. bottom respectively of the base flange.

8. A rail anchor comprising a body portion formed at one end with a jaw for en'- gagement with the top surface of one base flange, and a tie abutment comprisingla depending loop, one arm of which extends substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface of the rail base and bears against the vertical edge portion of one base flange of u the rail, and the other arm of which extends end of said backwardly extending arm:

which bears against the bottom of the rail base, and means for gripping the other base flange of said rail.

9. A rail anchor comprising a body portion formed at one end with a jaw for engagement with the top surface of one base flange, and a tie abutment comprising a depending loop, Onearm of which is substantially perpendicular to the bottom surface of the rail and the other arm of which extends upwardly and backwardly relative to the cross tie against which said abutment bears-and also inclined outwardly toward the adjacent edge of the rail, a forwardly extending portion at the upper endof said backwardly extending arm which bears against the bottom of the rail base at a point below said jaw whereby movement of said last mentioned arm either transversely or longitudinally of the rail exerts a vertical gripping force on the top and bottom surface of the rail base flange engaged by said j aw, and-means at the other end of said body adapted-to be forced into gripping engagement with the other base flange of the rail.

10. A rail anchor comprising an under rail portion formed with means for engaging opposite edges of the rail base and formed in termediate said means with an open loop, the arms of which are adapted to be spread in application of said gripping means to the rail; saidHloop comprising a substantially vertical armfor engagement with an edge of the rail base and an arm extending up-': wardly and backwardly from a cross tie, the upper end of said backwardly extending arm providing a striking face against which force maybe applied to spread said arms.

11. A rail anchor for resisting longitudinal movement of a rail comprising a body and means in the plane of the body for gripping opposite edges of the rail base, means yieldable transversely of the rail to'permit engagement of the rail gripping means over opposite edges of the rail base, said yielding means being braced longitudinally of the rail so as to be non-yielding to forces exerted longitudinally of the rail.

" 12; A rail anchor for resisting longitudinal movement of a rail comprising rail gripping means at one end comprlsing a jaw for engagement with the top surface of one base flange, a depending loop adjacent said jaw providing a tie abutment and a bearing for engaging the bottom of the rail base, and

provided at the otherend with means for engagement with the other base flange; the said bottom bearing extending longitudinally of the rail beyond the plane of said jaw to resist tilting of flexing movements of the said loop in a direction longitudinally of the rail.-

13. A rail anchor for resisting longitudi nal movement of a rail comprising rail gr1pping means at one end comprising a jaw for engagement with the top surface of one base flange, a depending loop adjacent said jaw providing a tie abutment and a bearing 'ior engagement with the bottom of the base of the rail, and provided at the other end with means for engagement with the other base flange of the rail; the said loop being yieldable transversely of the rail to permit application of the device to the rail and the said bearing being positioned to extend a substantial distance backwardly from the plane of said jaw to provide a rigid grip of the jaw and bearing on the rail base during the presence of pressure on the anchor exerted longitudinally of the rail.

14. A rail anchor for resisting longitudinal movement of the rail comprising rail ripping means at one end including a jaw or engagement with the top surface of one base flange, and a depending loop adjacent said jaw providing a tie abutment and a bearing for engagement with the bottom of the base, and provided at the other end with means for engagement with the other base flange of the rail; the said 100p being yieldable transversely of the rail to permit application of the anchor to the rail base, but a portion of said loop being inclined backwardly from the tie and bears against the base at a point rearwardly of said jaw to provide a rigid rail gripping engagement against forces exerted longitudinally of the rail.

1-5. A rail anchor for resisting longitudinal movement of the rail comprising a body and means in the plane of the body for engaging opposite flanges of a rail, a portion intermediate said gripping means yieldable transversely of the rail. and inclined upwardiy and baekwardly to bear against the rail base beneath one of said means to provide a rigid grip on the rail to resist forces exerted longitudinally of the rail.

16. A rail anchor for resisting longitudinal movement of the rail comprising a body and means in the plane of the body for engaging opposite flanges of a rail, a loop in termediate said gripping means yieldable transversely of the rail and having a portion bearing against the bottom of the rail base at one side of the plane of said body to provide a rigid grip of the device on the rail against forces exerted longitudinally of the rail.

HAROLD G. \VARR. 

